Aisling McCarthy

{{Infobox AFL biography

| name = Aisling McCarthy

| fullname =

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1996|2|24|df=y}}

| draftpick = No. 23, 2018 national draft

| debutdate = Round 2, 2019

| debutteam = {{AFLW|WB}}

| debutopponent = {{AFLW|Gee}}

| debutstadium = Whitten Oval

| height = 172 cm

| position = Forward/midfielder

| currentclub = {{AFLW|Fre}}

| guernsey = 7

| years1 = 2019–2020

| club1 = {{AFLW|WB}}

| games_goals1 = 12 {{0}}(7)

| years2 = 2021–2023

| club2 = {{AFLW|WC}}

| games_goals2 = 31 (10)

| years3 = 2024–

| club3 = {{AFLW|Fre}}

| games_goals3 = 12 {{0}}(8)

| games_goalstotal = 55 (25)

| statsend = the 2024 season

| careerhighlights =

| source =

}}

Aisling Louise McCarthy{{Cite tweet|author=Aisling McCarthy|user=aish_mac|number=1550002745662656512|title=Officially an Aussie 🇦🇺|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220730045829/https://twitter.com/aish_mac/status/1550002745662656512|archive-date=30 July 2022|access-date=30 July 2022}} (born 24 February 1996) is an Irish Australian rules footballer playing for Fremantle in the AFL Women's (AFLW), having previously played for the Western Bulldogs and the West Coast Eagles. She became an Australian citizen in July 2022.

Early life

From Cahir, County Tipperary in Ireland, McCarthy began playing Gaelic football from the age of seven.{{cite news |last1=Di Pietro |first1=Kavisha |title=Q&A — Aisling McCarthy |url=http://www.aflplayers.com.au/article/qa-aisling-mccarthy/ |accessdate=20 May 2019 |work=AFL Players |publisher=AFL Players' Association |date=12 November 2018}} She also played camogie, captaining her club Cahir to victory in the 2016 All-Ireland intermediate finals. In 2017, she was the player of the match in Tipperary's victory in the All-Ireland Intermediate Ladies' Football Championship, scoring one goal and four points. She was also named the TG4 Intermediate Player's Player of the Year.{{cite news |last1=Duffy |first1=Emma |title=Tipperary star becomes latest Irish player to join AFLW by signing with Western Bulldogs |url=https://www.the42.ie/aisling-mccarthy-western-bulldogs-aflw-draft-4299158-Oct2018/ |accessdate=20 May 2019 |work=The42 |publisher=Distilled Media |date=23 October 2018}}

McCarthy's interest in Australian football began in 2015 when Colin O'Riordan, a Tipperary footballer, moved to the Sydney Swans.{{cite news |last1=Duffy |first1=Emma |title='This opportunity is mad. It'll be a great experience, a once-in-a-lifetime thing' |url=https://www.the42.ie/aisling-mccarthy-tipperary-aflw-rookie-trial-feature-interview-4247967-Sep2018/ |accessdate=20 May 2019 |work=The42 |publisher=Distilled Media |date=22 September 2018}} In September 2018, she was among 18 international prospects to attend the CrossCoders program, a week-long Australian football camp held in Melbourne.{{cite news |last1=Fowler |first1=Michael |title=Who needs an agent? Instagram brought this Bulldogs debutant to Australia, and there's more coming |url=https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/who-needs-an-agent-instagram-brought-this-bulldogs-debutant-to-australia-and-there-s-more-coming-20190207-p50wd8.html |accessdate=20 May 2019 |work=The Age |publisher=Fairfax Media |date=8 February 2019}}

AFLW career

McCarthy was drafted by the Western Bulldogs with pick 23 in the 2018 AFLW national draft.{{cite news |last1=Duffy |first1=Emma |title='It hasn't even hit, I don't think it's real' - Tipp ace McCarthy relishing dream move to AFLW |url=https://www.the42.ie/aisling-mccarthy-reaction-aflw-tipperary-western-bulldogs-draft-4301175-Oct2018/ |accessdate=20 May 2019 |work=The42 |publisher=Distilled Media |date=23 October 2018}} She debuted in round 2 of the 2019 season against {{AFLW|Gee}} at Whitten Oval, kicking her first goal in the third quarter.{{cite news |title=Tipp star Aisling McCarthy kicks goal on Women's AFL debut |url=https://www.rte.ie/sport/gaa/2019/0210/1028691-tipp-star-mccarthy-kicks-goal-on-womens-afl-debut/ |accessdate=20 May 2019 |work=RTÉ |date=10 February 2019}} At the season's conclusion, she re-signed with the Bulldogs for the 2020 season; she played six matches and kicked five goals in her first year.{{cite news |title=Moody, McCarthy re-sign |url=https://www.westernbulldogs.com.au/news/2019-04-12/moody-mccarthy-resign |accessdate=20 May 2019 |work=westernbulldogs.com.au |publisher=Telstra Media |date=12 April 2019}} After a second year with the Bulldogs playing more as a midfielder and kicking two goals from six games, she finished 4th in the Bulldogs Best and Fairest. She and the Bulldogs' 3rd pick in the 2020 AFL Women's draft were traded to {{AFLW|WC}} in exchange for picks 2 and 16.{{cite web|title=West Coast complete first AFLW trade of 2020, recruiting Irish speedster Aisling McCarthy|url=https://thewest.com.au/sport/aflw/west-coast-complete-first-aflw-trade-of-2020-recruiting-irish-speedster-aisling-mccarthy-ng-b881629512z|last1=Woodcock|first1=Mitchell|work=The West Australian|access-date=8 May 2021|date=4 August 2020}} She came second in the {{AFLW|WC}} best and fairest voting in 2021, with 37 votes, three behind first-placed Isabella Lewis.{{cite web|title=Your club's B&F: Second-year Saint claims top gong again|url=https://womens.afl/news/69877/your-club-s-b-f-second-year-saint-claims-top-gong-again|work=AFL Women's Media|access-date=8 May 2021|date=7 May 2021}} She signed a two-year contract with the Eagles on 26 June 2021, keeping her with the team until the end of the 2023 season.{{cite web|title=AFLW: McCarthy a mainstay in Eagles’ midfield|url=https://www.westcoasteagles.com.au/news/958628/aflw-mccarthy-a-mainstay-in-eagles-midfield|last1=Henderson|first1=Emma|date=23 June 2021|access-date=26 June 2021|work=West Coast Eagles Media}}

Following the 2023 AFLW season, McCarthy was traded to the Fremantle Football Club.{{cite news|title=AFLW: Fremantle Dockers and West Coast Eagles agree to trade for Aisling McCarthy and Roxy Roux|url=https://thewest.com.au/sport/fremantle-dockers/aflw-fremantle-dockers-and-west-coast-eagles-agree-to-trade-for-aisling-mccarthy-and-roxy-roux-c-12832705|work=The West Australian|date=21 September 2024|first=Jackson|last=Barrett}} Round four of the 2024 AFLW season saw McCarthy kick a goal after the siren to win the match against the Melbourne Demons at Fremantle Oval.{{cite news|title=Knee injury to Freo star Tighe sours AFLW win over Dees|url=https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/8770439/knee-injury-to-freo-star-tighe-sours-aflw-win-over-dees/|work=The Canberra Times|date=21 September 2024|first=Joanna|last=Guelas}} She finished her first season at the Dockers as their leading goalkicker, having kicked eight goals across twelve games.{{cite news|title=All Australian Team: Three’s a charm!|url=https://www.fremantlefc.com.au/news/1697641/all-australian-team-threes-a-charm|work=fremantlefc.com.au|date=3 December 2024|first=|last=}} She was also selected for a spot in the 2024 AFL Women's All-Australian team.{{cite news|title=ALL-AUSTRALIAN TEAM: Star mids grab seventh blazers, 12 first-timers|url=https://www.afl.com.au/news/1258995|work=afl.com.au|date=3 December 2024|first=Dylan|last=Bolch}}

Statistics

:Statistics are correct the end of the 2024 season.{{cite web|title=Aisling McCarthy – Player Stats By Season|url=https://australianfootball.com/players/player_season_detail/Aisling+McCarthy/20494|work=Australian Football|access-date=8 May 2021}}

|- style="background-color: #eaeaea"

! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 2019

|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFLW|WB}}

| 15 || 6 || 5 || 1 || 41 || 20 || 61 || 11 || 15 || 0.8 || 0.2 || 6.8 || 3.3 || 10.2 || 1.8 || 2.5 || 0

! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 2020

|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFLW|WB}}

| 15 || 6 || 2 || 3 || 57 || 24 || 81 || 20 || 24 || 0.3 || 0.5 || 9.5 || 4.0 || 13.5 || 3.3 || 4.0 || 0

|- style="background-color: #eaeaea"

! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 2021

|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFLW|WC}}

| 11 || 7 || 2 || 2 || 69 || 30 || 99 || 10 || 32 || 0.3 || 0.3 || 9.9 || 4.3 || 14.1 || 1.4 || 4.6 || 3

! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 2022(S6)